First turn-key project awarded to Saipem in the offshore wind farm sector

Thursday, November 28 2019

Saipem has been awarded a contract by the French company EDF Renewables for the construction of the Neart na Gaoithe (NnG) wind farm offshore Scotland.

This is the first turn-key project awarded to Saipem in the offshore wind farm sector. The scope of work consists of the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of 54 steel foundation jackets for an equivalent number of wind turbines with a capacity of around 8MW each, 2 steel foundation jackets for the offshore electrical substations and the transportation and installation of the relevant topsides. These jackets will be manufactured partly at a Saipem owned yard and partly in fabrication facilities located in Scotland. The jackets will be placed on piles at depths ranging from 40 to 60 meters.

Offshore installation activities will be carried out by the crane vessel Saipem 7000, which has a consolidated track record of operations in the North Sea.

The NnG offshore wind farm, 15km off the east coast of Scotland, will be deployed over an area of 105 km2 and will be capable of generating around 450 megawatts of electricity.

Francesco Racheli, Chief Operating Officer of the Saipem E&C Offshore Division, affirmed: “This EPCI contract awarded by EDF Renewables marks a key milestone in the pursuit of our strategy to become a reference player for large offshore wind farm developments and, more extensively, in the sphere of energy transition. This important achievement has been made possible thanks to our capabilities and expertise in engineering, fabrication and installation as well as to our assets, particularly suited to projects of this kind. Our collaboration with EDF Renewables and with the entire supply chain will allow us to contribute to the generation of 450 megawatts of green energy, fostering the utilisation of local supply chain and expertise to provide the most competitive solution to our stakeholders and clients and execute a successful project.”

Formosa 2

Furthermore, Saipem has been awarded a new contract for the Formosa 2 offshore wind farm project. The scope of work entails the supply of material and fabrication of 32 foundation jackets for an equivalent number of wind turbine generators. The wind farm is being developed by a partnership between Macquarie’s Green Investment Group and Swancor Renewable Energy, offshore Miaoli County on the West coast of Taiwan. Construction works for the project are scheduled to commence early 2020.